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“Thrash Him, Wastrel Dog, He Shouldn’t Live In Peace”: DMK Leader RS Bharathi’s Son Threatens TNM’s Shabbir Ahmed For Reporting On Chennai Floods

December 9, 2023
The Commune

In an incident that highlights the plight of freedom of press in Tamil Nadu under the DMK’s Dravidian Model government, a ‘journalist’ of Dravidianist-Leftist outlet The News Minute has been threatened by DMK members for reporting on the Chennai floods.

Shabbir Ahmed is known for his anti-BJP stance and has often targeted BJP Tamil Nadu President K. Annamalai. He often hounds BJP leaders with a barrage of questions while going soft when questioning DMK leaders.

However, in an ironical twist, Shabbir has received death threats from DMK members for reporting on the floods that has deluged Chennai following Cyclone Michaung.

Shabbir has been reporting on the impact of the floods in areas of north Chennai like Ennore, Perambur, Vyasarpadi, Pulianthope where people have been lamenting about the lack of government relief – be it removing sewage mixed flood waters inundating the streets and homes, restoring power, or supply of essential items like milk.

He even highlighted how Amma Canteens which had been of much help during crisis, has been missing in action.

His reportage has been appreciated by many on social media for focusing on areas which have been neglected by the administration and the mainstream media.

However, this had not gone well with DMK members who in a X Spaces discussion issued death threats to a fellow Dravidianist journalist.

In the X Spaces discussion, one man can be heard saying “Suddenly in the last 24 hours, journalists have entered into a rebel mode, particularly a few journalists. Suddenly they’ve jumped into some revolution.”

Responding to this comment, DMK Organizational Secretary RS Bharathi’s son Sai Lakhmikanth says “I saw Shabbir posting that it took 6 days and he had reached home only on December 6. He has put one video link saying ‘Look IT wing, we’ve questioned the then Mayor too’. Incidentally, he had uploaded that video on November 18 (2015). That is he has uploaded the video even before the floods came. So, he knew all along for one month that floods would come. Take a look at the post I’ve put and quote tweeted. I will share here. On November 18, he was questioning Saidai Duraisamy, our brave warrior Shabbir Ahmed. But the floods had come only on December 3. He accepts that there has been mismanagement even before December 3 (2015). For 1 month, Chennai was floating.”

He also goes on to derogate the late AIADMK supremo and former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa saying “Instead of opening the Chembarambakkam lake, they kept it closed and that lady (referring to Jayalalithaa) let 29,000 cu secs of water at once.”

The DMK leader’s son then trains his guns towards Shabbir saying “He is comparing that and this flood. With what do we beat this guy (Shabbir)? Just thrash him. Just like that Omjasvin (another journalist with Times of India) we’ve to thrash him. He thinks he is some revolutionary leader. Paradesi Naai (Wastrel dog). He shouldn’t be left to live in peace. Poromboke payale (wasteland).”

This is not the first time that Shabbir has been attacked (verbally this time) by DMK members.

In 2014, Shabbir Ahmed faced physical assault by DMK members, which seems to have subsequently led him to adopt a more subservient stance towards the party. He has been notably deferential when reporting on the DMK ever since. During the incident involving over 50 DMK supporters, three TV journalists, including the then Times Now reporter Shabbir Ahmed, were attacked outside the residence of party treasurer MK Stalin. This attack was triggered by the journalists’ discussion of Stalin’s contemplated resignation from party positions following the election results. The violent episode resulted in the damage of cameras and equipment and extended to target other members of the media.

 

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